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Course Title: Language Arts Subject: Language Arts Literacy Grade Level: 6 Duration: One year Prerequisite: 5th grade Elective or Required: Required Language Arts Literacy Mission Statement The Glen Ridge Language Arts Program establishes a foundation for lifelong learning and effective communication. Through a sequential and challenging curriculum, our students will become proficient readers, effective writers, active listeners and articulate speakers. Students learn to respect various points of view while displaying creative, collaborative, and critical thinking skills. The Language Arts Program enables our students to participate effectively in a technological, complex and ever-changing world. Course Description: Students will read through a series of novels that will stimulate creative writing as well as provoke thoughtful insight and class discussions. Likewise, students will gain knowledge of various styles of writing through both literature and touchstone texts in which they will emulate in their own writing. This will be accomplished through the employment of writing assignments, projects, and enrichment activities. Author: Erica Marinaro and Jerry White Date Submitted: Summer 2011

6th Grade Language Arts Curriculum

Topic/Unit: Introduction to Fiction

Approximate # Of Weeks: 6 weeks Essential Questions:

■ When making an important decision, what factors should be considered? ■ When considering childhoods across ethnic and socio-economic divides,

what are the commonalities and differences? ■ What are the pros and cons of everlasting life?

Upon completion of this unit students will be able to: Key Ideas and Details

● 6.RI.1 Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says

explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

● 6.RI.2 Determine a central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through

particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from

personal opinions or judgments.

● 6.RI.3 Analyze in detail how a key individual, event, or idea is introduced,

illustrated, and elaborated in a text (e.g., through examples or

anecdotes).

Key Ideas and Details

● 6.RL.1 Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says

explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

● 6.RL.2 Determine a theme or central idea of a text and how it is conveyed

through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from

personal opinions or judgments.

● 6.RL.3 Describe how a particular story's or drama's plot unfolds in a series

of episodes as well as how the characters respond or change as the

plot moves toward a resolution.

● 6.W.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey

ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization,

and analysis of relevant content.

● a. Introduce a topic; organize ideas, concepts, and

information, using strategies such as definition, classification,

comparison/contrast, and cause/effect; include formatting (e.g.,

headings), graphics (e.g., charts, tables), and multimedia when

useful to aiding comprehension.

● b. Develop the topic with relevant facts, definitions, concrete

details, quotations, or other information and examples.

● c. Use appropriate transitions to clarify the relationships

among ideas and concepts.

● d. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to

inform about or explain the topic.

● e. Establish and maintain a formal style.

● f. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from

the information or explanation presented.

● 6.W.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events

using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured

event sequences.

■ a. Engage and orient the reader by establishing a context

and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an

event sequence that unfolds naturally and logically.

■ b. Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, and

description, to develop experiences, events, and/or

characters.

■ c. Use a variety of transition words, phrases, and clauses to

convey sequence and signal shifts from one time frame or

setting to another.

■ d. Use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive

details, and sensory language to convey experiences and

events.

■ e. Provide a conclusion that follows from the narrated

experiences or events.

Conventions of Standard English

● 6.L.1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of Standard English

grammar and usage when writing or speaking.

■ a. Ensure that pronouns are in the proper case (subjective,

objective, possessive).

■ b. Use intensive pronouns (e.g., myself, ourselves).

■ c. Recognize and correct inappropriate shifts in pronoun

number and person.

■ d. Recognize and correct vague pronouns (i.e., ones with

unclear or ambiguous antecedents).

■ e. Recognize variations from Standard English in their own

and others' writing and speaking, and identify and use

strategies to improve expression in conventional language.

● 6.L.2 Demonstrate command of the conventions of Standard

English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.

a. Use punctuation (commas, parentheses, dashes) to set off

nonrestrictive/parenthetical elements.

b. Spell correctly.

Interdisciplinary Standards (njcccs.org)

● Standard 6.1 U.S. History: America in the World ● All students will acquire the knowledge and skills to think analytically about

how past and present interactions of people, cultures, and the environment shape the American heritage. Such knowledge and skills enable students to make informed decisions that reflect fundamental rights and core democratic values as productive citizens in local, national, and global communities.

Activities – include 21st Century Technologies:

● Tuck Everlasting (novel) ● Tuck Everlasting (movie) ● Book Talk project and presentation ● “Circuits” by Francisco Jimenez ● “Stray” by Cynthia Rylant ● “Eleven” by Sandra Cisneros ● Short film about Ponce de Leon ● Grammar (focus on sentence structure) ● Vocabulary Workshop

Writing Assignments:

● Writer’s notebook ● Short Story (focus on basic narrative structure) ● Book Talk essay (realistic fiction) ● Brief essay comparing book and film version of Tuck Everlasting.

Enrichment Activities:

● Create board game to review what has been learned about sentence structure.

● Lead workshop group ● For book talk project, create short film or play. ● Create powerpoint about Natalie Babbitt

Methods of Assessments/Evaluation:

● Unit Test ● Weekly assessments (vocabulary) ● Writing Workshop ● Journals ● Project ● Essay

● Self Assessment Resources: Text, Literature (RL), Informational (RI)

● Language Arts textbook (RL) ● GUM Grammar Book (RI) ● Vocabulary Workshop Book (RI) ● Tuck Everlasting (RL) ● Strategies for Writers (RI)

Online Resources:

● Teacher webpage

● Ponce De Leon short film: http://tinyurl.com/3fjzlky

● Vocabulary Workshop: http://tinyurl.com/68ro9d

Topic/Unit: Poetry Approximate # Of Weeks: 6 weeks Essential Questions:

■ What are the differences between poetry and prose? ■ Why are the works of Edgar Allan Poe and William Shakespeare still

important today? ■ What are some different forms of poetry, such as haiku, sonnet, and

cinquain? Upon completion of this unit students will be able to: Integration of Knowledge and Ideas

● 6.RL.7 Compare and contrast the experience of reading a story, drama, or

poem to listening to or viewing an audio, video, or live version of the

text, including contrasting what they "see" and "hear" when reading

the text to what they perceive when they listen or watch.

● 6.RL.8 (This College and Career Readiness Standard does not have a

literature component)

● 6.RL.9 Compare and contrast texts in different forms or genres (e.g.,

stories and poems; historical novels and fantasy stories) in terms of

their approaches to similar themes and topics.

Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity

● 6.RL.10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including

stories, dramas, and poems, in the grades 6-8 text complexity band

proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.

● 6.L.5 Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word

relationships, and nuances in word meanings.

● a. Interpret figures of speech (e.g., personification) in

context.

● b. Use the relationship between particular words (e.g.,

cause/effect, part/whole, item/category) to better understand each

of the words.

● c. Distinguish among the connotations (associations) of

words with similar denotations (definitions) (e.g., stingy,

scrimping, economical, thrifty).

● 6.SL.6 Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and

tasks, demonstrating command of formal English

when indicated or appropriate.

Interdisciplinary Standards (njcccs.org)

● Standard 6.1 U.S. History: America in the World ● All students will acquire the knowledge and skills to think analytically about

how past and present interactions of people, cultures, and the environment shape the American heritage. Such knowledge and skills enable students to make informed decisions that reflect fundamental rights and core democratic values as productive citizens in local, national, and global communities.

Activities – include 21st Century Technologies:

● Short film about the life of Edgar Allan Poe ● Listen to audio retellings of several Poe stories ● “The Cask of Amontillado” by Poe ● “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Poe ● “The Raven” by Poe ● Selections from poetry textbook Reflections on a Watermelon Pickle. ● “Caged Bird” by Maya Angelou ● Using the poems “Steam Shovel” and “The Garden Hose” as models,

each student will write a poem that uses personification. ● Using the poems “The Base Stealer” and “Foul Shot” as models, each

student will write a poem that expands a moment in time. ● Using the poem “April” as an example, students will write a poem in which

a month of the year is personified. ● Using the poem “This is Just to Say” as an example, each student will

write a note in the form of a poem. ● Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18 and Sonnet 130 ● Shakespeare Recitation DVD ● Shakespeare Recitation Competition ● Grammar (focus on parts of speech) ● Vocabulary Workshop

Writing Assignments:

● Writer’s Notebook ● Poetry Portfolio (collection of 12-14 poems) ● Reaction to Shakespeare Recitation Project

Enrichment Activities:

● Write an analysis of the poem or monologue you have chosen to memorize.

● Write a sestina. ● Present your poetry portfolio as a podcast.

Methods of Assessments/Evaluation:

● Portfolio ● Unit Test ● Oral Presentation ● Journals ● Writing Workshop ● Open-ended question

Resources: Text, Literature (RL), Informational (RI)

● Reflections on a Gift of Watermelon Pickle ● GUM Grammar Book (RI) ● Vocabulary Workshop Book (RI)

Online Resources:

● Teacher webpage

● Poe movie: http://tinyurl.com/yfcdvxw

● Vocabulary Workshop: http://tinyurl.com/68ro9d

Topic/Unit: Science Fiction

Approximate # Of Weeks: 7 weeks Essential Questions:

● How has technology changed the modern world? What changes are coming?

● What are some ethical questions raised by scientific progress? How do we resolve them?

● In what ways does society shape the individual? Upon completion of this unit students will be able to: Craft and Structure

● 6.RI.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a

text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings.

● 6.RI.5 Analyze how a particular sentence, paragraph, chapter, or section

fits into the overall structure of a text and contributes to the

development of the ideas.

● 6.RI.6 Determine an author's point of view or purpose in a text and explain

how it is conveyed in the text. Integration of Knowledge and Ideas

● 6.RI.7 Integrate information presented in different media or formats (e.g.,

visually, quantitatively) as well as in words to develop a coherent

understanding of a topic or issue.

● 6.RI.8 Trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text,

distinguishing claims that are supported by reasons and evidence

from claims that are not.

● 6.RI.9 Compare and contrast one author's presentation of events with that

of another (e.g., a memoir written by and a biography on the same

person).

Text Types and Purposes

● 6.W.1 Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant

evidence.

● a. Introduce claim(s) and organize the reasons and evidence

clearly.

● b. Support claim(s) with clear reasons and relevant

evidence, using credible sources and demonstrating an

understanding of the topic or text.

● c. Use words, phrases, and clauses to clarify the

relationships among claim(s) and reasons.

● d. Establish and maintain a formal style.

● e. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows

from the argument presented.

Comprehension and Collaboration

● 6.SL.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-

on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 6

topics, texts, and issues, building on others' ideas and expressing their

own clearly.

■a. Come to discussions prepared, having read or studied

required material; explicitly draw on that preparation by

referring to evidence on the topic, text, or issue to probe and

reflect on ideas under discussion.

■b. Follow rules for collegial discussions, set specific goals and

deadlines, and define individual roles as needed.

■c. Pose and respond to specific questions with elaboration and

detail by making comments that contribute to the topic, text,

or issue under discussion.

■d. Review the key ideas expressed and

demonstrate understanding of multiple

perspectives through reflection and

paraphrasing. 6.SL.2 Interpret

information presented in diverse media

and formats (e.g., visually,

quantitatively, orally) and explain how

it contributes to a topic, text, or issue

under study.

6.SL.4 Present claims and findings, sequencing ideas

logically and using pertinent descriptions, facts, and details

to accentuate main ideas or themes; use appropriate eye

contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation.

Interdisciplinary Standards (njcccs.org)

● Standard 8.2 – Technology Education ● All students will develop an understanding of the nature and impact of

technology, engineering, technological design, and the designed world as they relate to the individual, society, and the environment.

● Standard 6.2 World History, Global Studies ● All students will acquire the knowledge and skills to think analytically and

systematically about how past interactions of people, cultures, and the environment affect issues across time and cultures. Such knowledge and

skills enable students to make informed decisions as socially and ethically responsible world citizens in the 21st century.

● Standard 6.3 Active Citizenship in the 21st Century ● All students will acquire the skills needed to be active, informed citizens

who value diversity and promote cultural understanding by working collaboratively to address the challenges that are inherent in living in an interconnected world.

Knowledge of Language

● 6.L.3 Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing,

speaking, reading, or listening.

● a. Vary sentence patterns for meaning, reader/ listener

interest, and style.

● b. Maintain consistency in style and tone.

Activities – include 21st Century Technologies:

● Introduce Study Island to review for NJ Ask ● Reading and in-depth study of The Giver. Cross curricular with social studies

(different political systems) and science (genetics).

● “What Fun They Had” by Isaac Asimov

● “All Summer in a Day” by Ray Bradbury

● “Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut

● Create Personal Utopias (includes physical representation of world, working

government/economic system)

● Short story about school in the future (cross curricular with Technology)

● Book Talk (fantastic fiction)

● Film analysis: Jurassic Park (discuss scientific innovation vs. ethical

responsibility)

● Grammar (focus on usage)

Writing Assignments: ● Student Journals ● Writer’s Notebook ● Short story about schools in the future ● Book talk essay ● Informational essay about personal utopia

Enrichment Activities:

● Respond to “Harrison Bergeron” by writing a short story in which the premise is totally reversed.

● Research current scientific advances and find a controversial discovery or experiment. Write a persuasive essay about whether or not the experiment is ethical.

Methods of Assessments/Evaluation: ● Wall Wisher

● Journal Reflective

● Study Island ● On-Line Survey ● Unit Test ● Weekly Test (vocabulary) ● Presentation ● Essay ● Short Story

Resources: Text, Literature (RL), Informational (RI)

● Language Arts textbook (RL) ● GUM Grammar Book (RI) ● Vocabulary Workshop Book (RI) ● The Giver (RL)

Online Resources:

● Teacher webpage ● Study Island: www.studyisland.com

● Vocabulary Workshop: http://tinyurl.com/68ro9d

Topic/Unit: Memoir

Approximate # Of Weeks: 5 weeks Essential Questions:

● How does a writer pick moments in life that are worth preserving in a memoir?

● What techniques learned in fiction writing are applicable to memoir writing? How are the two forms different?

● How can memoirs help us understand other cultures/ways of life? ● Why is it important that life experiences be shared via the written word?

Upon completion of this unit students will be able to: Craft and Structure

● 6.RL.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in

a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the

impact of a specific word choice on meaning and tone.

● 6.RL.5 Analyze how a particular sentence, chapter, scene, or stanza fits

into the overall structure of a text and contributes to the development

of the theme, setting, or plot.

● 6.RL.6 Explain how an author develops the point of view of the narrator or

speaker in a text.

Range of Writing

● 6.W.10 Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research,

reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or

a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and

audiences.

Interdisciplinary Standards (njcccs.org)

● Standard 6.3 Active Citizenship in the 21st Century ● All students will acquire the skills needed to be active, informed citizens

who value diversity and promote cultural understanding by working collaboratively to address the challenges that are inherent in living in an interconnected world.

Activities – include 21st Century Technologies:

● “The Drive-In” by Gary Soto ● “Names/Nombres” by Julia Alvarez ● “Eleven” by Sandra Cisneros

● “Owl Moon” by Jane Yolen ● “Hairs” by Sandra Cisneros ● Book talk (powerpoint presentation) ● Study Island ● Vocabulary Workshop ● Grammar: Syntax

Writing Assignments:

● Writer’s Notebook ● Memoir (snapshot of a moment in time) ● Book talk essay (non-fiction)

Enrichment Activities:

● Read the complete memoir House on Mango Street. Students will share their thoughts and opinions via a wiki page.

Methods of Assessments/Evaluation

● Interview a character or an author. ● Self assessment ● Study Island ● Weekly assessments ● Unit test ● Essay ● Pair/Share ● Writing Workshop

Resources: Text, Literature (RL), Informational (RI)

● Language Arts textbook (RL) ● GUM Grammar Book (RI) ● Vocabulary Workshop Book (RI) ● Writing (RI)

Online Resources:

● Teacher webpage ● Study Island: www.studyisland.com

● Vocabulary Workshop: http://tinyurl.com/68ro9d

Topic/Unit: Non-fiction/Historical Fiction Approximate # Of Weeks: 6 weeks

Essential Questions:

● How is reading non-fiction a different experience than reading fiction? ● In order to best comprehend the material, should one’s “reading approach”

change? ● How can incorporating the “real world” into fiction improve the overall

story? Upon completion of this unit students will be able to: Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity

● 6.RI.10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend literary nonfiction in

the grades 6-8 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as

needed at the high end of the range.

Production and Distribution of Writing

● 6.W.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development,

organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and

audience.

● 6.W.5 With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop

and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing,

rewriting, or trying a new approach.

● 6.W.6 Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish

writing as well as to interact and collaborate with others; demonstrate

sufficient command of keyboarding skills to type a minimum of three

pages in a single sitting.

Research to Build and Present Knowledge

● 6.W.7 Conduct short research projects to answer a question, drawing on

several sources and refocusing the inquiry when appropriate.

● 6.W.8 Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources;

assess the credibility of each source; and quote or paraphrase the

data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and

providing basic bibliographic information for sources.

● 6.W.9 Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support

analysis, reflection, and research.

● a. Apply grade 6 Reading standards to literature (e.g.,

"Compare and contrast texts in different forms or genres [e.g.,

stories and poems; historical novels and fantasy stories] in terms

of their approaches to similar themes and topics.").

● b. Apply grade 6 Reading standards to literary nonfiction

(e.g., "Trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a

text, distinguishing claims that are supported by reasons and

evidence from claims that are not.").

● 6.SL.3Delineate a speaker's argument and specific claims,

distinguishing claims that are supported by reasons and evidence

from claims that are not.

Interdisciplinary Standards (njcccs.org)

● Standard 8.1 – Computer and Information Literacy ● All students will use computer applications to gather and organize

information and to solve problems. ● Standard 6.1 U.S. History: America in the World ● All students will acquire the knowledge and skills to think analytically about

how past and present interactions of people, cultures, and the environment shape the American heritage. Such knowledge and skills enable students to make informed decisions that reflect fundamental rights and core democratic values as productive citizens in local, national, and global communities.

● Standard 6.2 World History, Global Studies ● All students will acquire the knowledge and skills to think analytically and

systematically about how past interactions of people, cultures, and the environment affect issues across time and cultures. Such knowledge and skills enable students to make informed decisions as socially and ethically responsible world citizens in the 21st century.

Activities – include 21st Century Technologies:

● Powerpoint about yellow fever ● Fever 1793 ● “A Backwoods Boy” by Russell Freedman ● “The Shutout” by Patricia C. McKissack ● “Jackie Robinson: Justice at Last” by Geoffrey Ward and Ken Burns ● Discussion of what constitutes plagiarism/how to cite sources properly. ● Baseball (documentary by Ken Burns) – segment on Jackie Robinson ● Grammar: Mechanics ● Writing workshop

Writing Assignments:

● Writer’s notebook ● Historical Fiction short story (cross curricular with Social Studies) ● Research Paper

Enrichment Activities:

● After doing the necessary research for their short story, students will make a short documentary about that moment in history.

● Students will take a scene from Fever 1793 and dramatize it. ● Using google docs, students will help revise each other’s research paper

online. Methods of Assessments/Evaluation:

● Role-playing ● Study Island ● Weekly assessments ● Unit test ● Essay ● Writing Workshop ● Interviews

Resources: Text, Literature (RL), Informational (RI)

● Language Arts textbook (RL) ● GUM Grammar Book (RI) ● Vocabulary Workshop Book (RI) ● Fever 1793 (RL) ● Writing (RI)

Online Resources:

● Teacher webpage

● Vocabulary Workshop: http://tinyurl.com/68ro9d

Topic/Unit: Drama

Approximate # Of Weeks: 4 weeks Essential Questions:

● What are the different rules and limitation of writing drama (as opposed to fiction or memoir)?

● How can dialogue be realistic but also interesting? ● What are the elements of a fairy tale?

Upon completion of this unit students will be able to:

Vocabulary Acquisition and Use

● 6.L.4 Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-

meaning words and phrases based on grade 6 reading and

content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.

● a. Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence or

paragraph; a word's position or function in a sentence) as a clue

to the meaning of a word or phrase.

● b. Use common, grade-appropriate Greek or Latin affixes

and roots as clues to the meaning of a word (e.g., audience,

auditory, audible).

● c. Consult reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries,

thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation of a

word or determine or clarify its precise meaning or its part of

speech.

● d. Verify the preliminary determination of the meaning of a

word or phrase (e.g., by checking the inferred meaning in context

or in a dictionary).

All students will use computer applications to gather and organize information and to solve problems.

● 6.L.6 Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general

academic and domain-specific words and phrases; gather

vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase

important to comprehension or expression.

● 6.SL.5 Include multimedia components (e.g.,

graphics, images, music, sound) and visual

displays in presentations to clarify information.

Interdisciplinary Standards (njcccs.org)

● Standard 8.1 – Computer and Information Literacy

Activities – include 21st Century Technologies: ● “Little Red Riding Hood” animated short ● “Cinderella” animated short ● Animated versions of some Shakespearean plays. ● Students will write and perform a 5-minute play using the elements of a

fairy tale. Plays may be traditional or modernized. ● Grammar: cumulative review ● Vocabulary: cumulative review

Writing Assignments:

● Writer’s Notebook ● Script for play ● Reaction to experience of performing play

Enrichment Activities:

● Students may also choose to modernize a Shakespearean play as opposed to a fairy tale.

Methods of Assessments/Evaluation:

● Unit test ● Project ● Play ● Observation of groups

Resources: Text, Literature (RL), Informational (RI)

● Kid-friendly versions of Shakespearean plays (RL) ● Vocabulary Workshop (RI)

Online Resources:

● Teacher webpage

● Vocabulary Workshop: http://tinyurl.com/68ro9d ● Shakespeare animated films DVD

Grammar Topics Reviewed/Introduced by 6th Grade Curriculum

Capitalization

Proper use of quotation marks

Quote citation

MLA format

Dialogue (quotation marks, dialogue tags)

Eight major parts of speech

Apostrophes

Commas, semicolons, and colons

Subjects and predicates

Simple, compound, and complex sentences

Fragments, run-ons, and comma splices

Direct and indirect objects

Appositives

Objective vs. subjective pronouns

Pronoun/antecedent agreement